Farewell to Fabio

I was not expecting the last three chefs to get eliminated to have another chance to go onto the finale, but there they were, Leah, Jamie and Jeff in New Orleans and cooking crawfish for Emeril for the coveted opportunity to get back in the game. Of course, my utter lethargy toward all things Leah and Jamie had me yawning in the armchair, and thankfully it was Jeff who wowed Lagasse's taste buds. The catch: Jeff had to win the elimination challenge in order to go on to the finale, but sadly, Jeff was not strong enough to match the force that has become Carla!

Of course my husband and I were both outraged that they brought back someone from the past anyway. After all, there are no do overs. I was surprised that Fabio didn't say, "This is Top Chef, not Top Redo." Once you get chopped off, you don't grow back into the cast, but with two chefs to be eliminated before the finale, this upped the stakes, providing three slots instead of two.

Stefan, Stefan, Stefan. I've been blogging my love of your arrogance these last few weeks, smoothing it over as confidence, but this week that over-confidence almost got you sent home for the third time. On the edge of my seat I kept saying, "Please, please let Fabio's pasta be too typical because I know that Stefan is better than this!" And I do love your attitude about not stressing at your age... I'm thirty-three... stress is crap. It kills. I agree one hundred percent, but Tom Colicchio wants to see you sweat, or he's going to think you don't care if you win or lose. We're pulling for you, still. I've got my Stefan is #1 T-shirt and the big foam finger. Next Wednesday I will sit down with my popcorn and shout at the TV in your honor. I still believe that you deserve to win, but Carla is coming up hot on your heels and Hosea is taking things gangsta personal.

I have to say I was very sad to see Fabio go. He's endeared himself to audiences all across the Top Chef board with his stories and his quirky quotes. I definitely want one of the first "This is Not Top Pussy" T-shirts, or even one that says, "This is Not Top Scallop." I had such high hopes of him battling against Stefan and Carla in the finale, but alas, all good things must come to an end. I hope that the exposure from the series itself bodes well for the future of his business.

I don't want to talk about Hosea. Yeah. He did well tonight, but I think Jeff did better than he did, and Carla won, so end of Hosea discussion. Other than that I'm so sad that he's going onto the finale and if he wins, I'll scream. Literally.

Carla has come such a long way. Early on in the competition she was so often on the bottom, but now that the pressure is really on, she's amazing. Girl can come cook for me anytime she wants! That oyster stew looked scrumptious.

Overall, it was a great episode. I just wish that Stefan could see that his overconfidence is what knocks him off his game every time. It's okay to know you're already the Top Chef, but shh, keep it a secret until Padma says it out loud, Stefan. ;)